I often find myself wondering why the printing press was such a massive invention. Of course, it revolutionized the ability to spread information and document history, but the machine itself seems very simple; apply pressure to a screw that then pushes paper into the type form.
That leaves me with the thought that I am missing something big. I understand that my thoughts of it being simple are swayed by the fact the we live in a post-printing press world, but I choose the believe I’m smarter than all of humanity before me. /s
So that leaves me with the question, how did it take so long for this to be invented? Are we stupid?
In: Engineering
Literally it took someone to think it up and make it. Either no one thought it up before, or if they had thought it up, they didn’t have the means or influence to actually get it built.
And of course hindsight is 20-20. Every invention or aspect of science that we have up to this point in history, we can look back and go “of course that makes sense”.
Germ theory – of course if a sick person coughs on you, it’ll make you sick.
Heliocentric model of the solar system – of course the sun rises and sets because we are revolving, duh. That just makes sense.
Printing press – well of course putting movable type in a press and applying ink will make making books and other literature easier
Everything for us is 20-20. In 500 years, what seemingly obvious technology do we not have now that future humans will think we “should have known about”. Infinite clean energy? Technology for wormholes? Cure for all disease? Who knows.
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